Stroke-limiting device for automatic machines



J. F. MIRRIELEES STROKE LIMITING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Filed Fe'7. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 4

J. F.'MIRRIELEES STROKE LIMITING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES FiledFeb. '7, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet B Nov. 4 1924. 1,513,846

J. F. MIRRIELEES STROKE LIMITING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE$ FiledFeb. '7. 192} 4 Sheets-Sheet'3 i x? III Nov" 4 1924. 513,846

J. F. MIRRIELEES STROKE LIMITING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES FiledFeb. '7. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MInnIELnns, OF CINCIN AT OHIO; AfssIGNon TO AVEY DRILLING-MACHINE 00., OF CINCINNATI, oHIo, A GORPORATION or OHIO.-

STROKE-LIMITING DEVICE non AUTOMATIC MACHINES.

Application fi led February 7, 1921. Serial No. 4433531.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, JAMES F. MIRRIELEES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented ertain new and useful Improvements in Stroke-LimitingDevices for Automatic Machines, of which the following is aspecification. This invention relates to improvements in automaticmachinery, but more particularly to stroke limiting devices forthesa'rne and has for its primary object to provide a fsim ple andefficient mechanism for automati- Cally stopping the operation of themachine or a portion thereof; upon the completion of a predeterminednumber of strokes, cycles or operations.

Another important object is to provide controlling means for the toolfeeding mechanism which will cause the machine to operate either as afull or a limited automatic. Further objects of the invention are toprovide a work feed controlled by the movement of the tool, and toproduce a stroke i5 limiting device which may be readily attached tomachines already in use t In order to fully illustrate the construe tionand mode ofoperation of'iny invention;

I have embodied the same in a recip roc'ating drilling machine of theautomatic type;

The particular drilling machine c'onstruc tion adopted forms the subjectmatter of United states patent to John J, Hey, No;

1,216,689 'grantedonFeb; 2Q, 191?, and ret erence may hehad thereto forcompletedescription of the drilling meChanism The present invention isparticularly adapted for use in connection with the improved feedmechanism for drilling machines form ing the subject matter of my UnitedStates Patent, No. 1,388,875, granted on August 30, 1921. It will bereadily evident that my invention is equally applicable to any machinehaving a reciprocating part required I to make a predetermined number ofcycles and to then be automatically stopped.

The many other objects and advantages of my invention willbe betterunderstood by reference to the following specification when consideredin connection with the companying drawings showing a selected embodimentthereof in' which I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a drilling machinewith my invention embodied there- 111'- Fig. 2 is a section on the line2-2 of Fig. i. I v

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanismshowing the controlhandle for the feeding mechanism.

F Fig. 4 is a section on the line of a jig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of 56 a r. I

6 is a section on the line 66 of ig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of118. I

8 is a section on the line 8 8 or a I I l ig. 9 is a diagrannnaticalview of the clutch mechanism. 7, I v I Referring; to the drawings, myinvention is embodied in an automaticidrilling machine havingthe usualvertical standard 10, base 11, rotating spindle 12' carried by thereciprocating spindle sleeve -12, and actuating mechanism for thespindle. A. weight 13 automatically returns the spindle to its raisedposition upon completion of its downward movement: power feed mecha nismillustrated for efi'ecting the Working strokes" of the} drill spindle issimilarto that setforth in the patent toHey No. v1,216,689. Theparticular machine shown in the drawings is intended for drilling threeoil holes in the side pinionsof a differential. The pinion 14 to bedrilled is mounted on the outer extremity of the work feeding shaft 15in thecasing 16 secured upon the usual. worktable 1'7 otthe machine. Abevel e us onthe shatt15 is driven by the g'ear 19' on the" sleeve 20keyed upon the shaft 21. A gear 22 on thesleeve 2O meshes with a gear 23on the shaft 24 disposed in parallelrelation with the shaft 21. An escapement ratchet 25 on the sleeve 20 is engaged by the correspondingescapement anchor 26 controlled by the trip 27. This trip 27 ispivotally mounted at 28 on the lower end portion of the reciprocatingplunger 29 and actuated by the adjustable screw 3 0 set in the casing16. A. spring pressed plunger 26 engages the member 26. A flat spring 27forces the trip 27 into engagement with the escapement member 26.

A ratchet 31 is keyed upon the shaft 24 andactuated by the pawl 32pivoted at 33 onithe plunger 3 4. A spring 35 presses against the pawl32 to retain the same in en- I sleeve.

gageme-nt with the ratchet 31. A flat spring 36 engages the ratchet 31to permit rotation of this ratchet in one direction only.

A collar 37 fits about the spindle sleeve 12' and is secured inplacethereon. A casinner end to fit within one of the peripheral indentations47 on the cam 42. The numher and disposition of the teeth on the ratchetrelative to the notches on the cam is dependent on. the number ofoperations desired in eachseries. For example, there are three holes tobe drilled in each pinion 14 placed upon the work shaft so that thedrill'must perform three operations thereon and then stop. The ratchetmust therefor advance the distance of three teeth to advance thecam fromone notch to the next. The projection 46 on the inner end of the lever44 is pressed against the periphery 'of the cam 42 by the spring-pressedtrip plunger 48 acting against the outer extremity. of this lever. .Aspring-pressed pawl 49 carried by abar 50 that is mounted to slidevertically in the casing 40. The lower extremity of this bar 50 projectsthrough the bottom plate of the casing 40 and is provided with anadjustable stop collar 51 for limiting therelative movement of the barand casing.-- Ajnotch 52 is formed in theupper extremity of this bar v50to receive and fit the wedge shaped end. of a.

spring pressed. plunger 52 carriedv by a bracket 53 .on the head '54 inwhich the reciprocatingspindle sleeve is guided. The

plunger52 rides out of the notch when the, under faceof the casing 40strikes stop 51 during the downward 'movement of the spindle. At theend. of the up stroke of the spindle, the plunger 52 re-engages .thenotch .of the bar 50. The latter is thus upheld during the initialportion of the down or. working stroke of the spindle, spindle sleeveand parts mounted thereon, and the ratchet 43, during its downwardmovement elativeto the bar50, is rotated one step by the pawl 49 on .thebar and the cam'42 is correspondingly advanced. A springmessed holdingdog 55prevents rotation of the ratchet and cam in the oppositedirection. When the casing 40* strikes the stop Cland disengages the bar50 from the catch plunger 52, the bar drops by gravity and pawl 49 movesidly past a tooth of the ratchet. The cam 42 is thus advanced one stepat each stroke of the spindle. It will be understood that when one ofthe notches 47 of the cam is in line with the inner lever 44, the tripplunger 48 will be in its lowered or-inoperative condition, but thatwhen the inner end 44 is engaged by a high portion of the cam, the tripplunger will be in its raised, operative condition.

A pin projects laterally from the lever 44 beneath the eccentric 41, anda control handle 61 is secured to the outer extremity of the shaft 39 onwhich this eccentric is mounted. A springpressed plunger'62 in thishandle is adapted to engage recesses 63 on the face of the casing toretain the arm in either its raised or lowered position. The eccentricis out of engagement with the pin when thehandle 61 is in its raisedposition, but when this handle is swung intoits lowered position, theeccentric engages the pin and depresses the inner end of the lever 44,lifting the trip plunger 48 and maintaining it in its raised positionuntil the handle is returned to its raised position.

The upper extremity of the plunger 29 is secured to the bracket 64carried by the collar 37 The corresponding extremity of the plunger 34is-adapted to contact with the bottom plate 65 on the collar to forcethis plunger downwardly and compress the spring 66 as the collar movesdownwardly with the spindle 12.

In the operation of the device the spindle is provided with an angularlydisposed cam portion 76, shown in Figs. 1 and'9, which is engaged on itsupper inclined face by the trip 77 adjustably mounted onthe spindlesleeve 12 at the end of the working stroke of the spindle. This tripcauses the lever 75 to swing on its pivot 78 and the feed clutch 79 tobe disengaged. The spindle is then automatically raised by the weight 13in the usual manner. At the completion of the up-stroke the trip 48, ifin its raised position, engages the under inclined face of the plate 76on the lever 75, moving the clutch 79 into engagement, and repeating thefeeding of the spindle. This full automatic action of the spindle willcontinue as long as the plunger 48 remains in its raised position toshift the feed control lever 75. If no automatic stopping is desired,the handle 61 should be moved to its lowered position and the tripplunger 48 will remain raised. The upward movement of the drill spindleeffected by the counterweight 13 is limited by theengagement of thecollar 37 on the spindle sleeve with the guiding head 54. If the tripplunger 48 is in its raised, operative condition, it will engage andoperate the clutch control lever 75 just before the spindle reaches theupper limit of its movement. But, if the trip is in its lowered,

inoperative condition, the upper movement of the spindle is arrestedbefore the trip engages the control lever.

To cause the spindle to be automatically stopped at the completion of apredetermined number of operations, the handle 61 should be placed inthe raised position which moves the eccentric out of operative relationwith the pin on the lever 44 and permits this lever to rock upon itsfulcrum. At the completion of the predetermined series of operations,the control lever 7 5 will not be actuated to start the down-stroke ofthe spindle because the projection 46 on the lever 44 has entered one ofthe notches 47 in the cam 42, as indicated in Fig. 4, permitting thetrip plunger 48 to drop to its depressed position where it can notengage and trip the handle 75.

The operation of the machine, assuming the parts to be in the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 4, with the spindle at the upper limit of itsmovement, is as follows: Power feed mechanism is engaged by manuallyshifting the clutch 7 9 by means of the lever 75. During the initialdownward movement of the drill spindle, the bar 50 is momentarilyupheld, as described, to advance the ratchet 43 and cam 42 one step andthereby shift the trip plunger 48 from its inoperative to its operativeposition. The downward movement or working stroke of the drill spindleand sleeve also move the plungers 29 and 34 of the work feedmechanismdownwardly. During the downward movement of the plunger 29 the trip 27thereon moves idly by the escapement anchor 26 and, during the downwardmovement of the plunger 34, the spring 66 is compressed and the pawl 32thereon is moved idly by one of the teeth of the ratchet 31.

At the end of the down or working stroke of the spindle, the trip 77,which may be adjusted to vary the depth of the working stroke, engagesthe lever 75 and disengages the feed mechanism from the spindle so thatthe latter is returned by the counterweight 13. During the upwardmovement of the spindle, the plunger 29 of the work feed mechanism risesbut the plunger 34 is held depressed with the spring 66 undercompression until the trip 27 engages and rocks the anchor 26 to therebydisengage the tooth 82 thereon from a tooth 81 of the escapement wheel25. The spring 66 is then effective to advance the escapement wheel andparts connected thereto, including the work which is being operatedupon. On the continued upward movement of the plunger 29 the screw 30disengages the trip 27 from the anchor 26 so that the latter is againdepressed by the spring plunger 26 and the tooth 82 of the anchorengages the next tooth of the escapement wheel, the anchor andescapement Wheel being arranged to permit the passage of only one toothat a time and insure the proper feed of the work. In the particularinstance illustrated, the holes to be drilled in the pinion 14 arespaced 120 degrees apart so that the teeth 81 on the escapement wheelare three in number and likewise spaced, but the number and spaces ofthese teeth can be varied if desired, to conform to the number andspacing of the holes to be drilled in the particular piece of work. Atthe end of the return stroke of the spindle, the trip plunger 48, beingin its raised or operative position, re-engages the clutch of the powerfeed mechanism, as described, to effect the next working stroke.

The automatic reciprocation of the spindle continues until the cam 42has been advanced by the ratchet 43 suiiiciently to bring the projection46 on the lever 44 into the next notch 47 therein, which, in the presentoperation, is a three tooth distance, and the spindle has returned toits raised position. The plunger 48, now being in its depressedposition, does not actuate the control handle 75 so that the spindlestops at the end of its up stroke and remains in this position untilmanually started for the next series of operations in the mannerdescribed.

The form of the work feed mechanism would naturally be varied to suitthe 'particular operation which it is designed to perform, but theprinciples of construction and operation are the same in all cases.Likewise the cam 42 in the stroke limiting device would be designed toproduce the desired number of operations of the spindle in the series.

Machines of this type are generally operated progressively. The operatorloads the first spindle and engages the feed. He then successivelyrepeats this operation at the other spindles under his charge. By thetime that the last spindle has been loaded and started, the firstspindle should have completed its operations on the work to come torest. The operator does not need to watch each spindle to insure that itis stopped at the proper moment.

The stroke limiting device is the connecting link between the automaticspindle feed and the automatic work feed and without it fixtures foraccomplishing the automatic feeding of the work cannot be operated attheir full capacity, and the danger of spoiling work by over drillingwould render some fixtures of this type impracticable. Many otherchanges in the construction and arrangement of parts might readily bemade without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I reservethe right to make all such as fairly fall within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine of the class described comprising a reciprocating member,actuating means for said member, and means operated by the movement ofsaid member for automatically releasing said member from said actuatingmeans upon the completion of a predetermined plurality of reciprocationsof said member.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a work supporting member,a tool carrying member, one of said members reciprocating relative tothe other, actuating means for said reciprocating member, and meansoperated by the movement of said reciprocating member for automaticallyreleasing said reciprocating member from said actuating means upon thecompletion of a predetermined plurality of reciprocations of saidmember.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a work support, areciprocating tool "holder, means for actuating said holder, and meanscontrolled by the movement of said holder for automatically disengagingsaid holder from said actuating means upon the completion of apredetermined plurality of strokes of said holder.

4:. A machine of the class described comprising a work support, areciprocating tool holder, actuating mechanism for said holder includinga clutch, means for automatically shifting said" clutch to initiate eachworking stroke and each return stroke of said tool holder and meanscontrolled by the movement of said holder for preventing the continuedoperation of said automatic clutch shifting means upon the completion ofa predetermined number of successive strokes of said tool holder.

5. In a machine of the class described, the

, combination with a reciprocating drill spindle, actuating meanstherefor and stroke limiting means for the spindle comprising a rotarycam, means controlled by the movement of the spindle for intermittentlyadvancing said cam, a member constantly engaging the surface of said camand means controlled by said member for arresting the operation of thespindle upon the completion of a number of successive strokes aspredetermined by the conformation .of the cam surface. i

6. A machine of the class described comprising, a reciprocating toolholder, a work feed operated by the movement of said holder, actuatingmeans for said holder, and means actuated by the movement of said holderfor automatically releasing said holder from said actuating means uponthe completion of a predetermined number of successive reciprocations ofsaid holder.

7 In a machine of the class described, the combination with areciprocating member and operating mechanism therefor, of tripsconnected to said member and cooperating with said mechanism to startthe working and return strokes respectively of said memprising aspindle, means for feeding said spindle toward the work, means for automatically stopping said feeding means at the end of the forward stroke,means for returning said tool to its initial position, means forautomatically starting said feeding upon the completion of the returnstroke, and means controlled by the movement of said spindle forrendering said starting means inoperative at'the comple tion of apredetermined plurality of strokes ofsaid spindle. I I

9; A machine of the class described comprising a tool holder, means forfeeding said holder'toward the work, means for stopping said feedingmeans at the completion of the forward stroke of said holder, means forreturning said holder to its initial position, a trip positioned toautomatically start said feeding means at the completion of the returnstroke, and means for automatically moving said trip out of operativeposition upon the completion of a predetermined plurality of strokes ofsaid tool holder.

10. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating tool, means foreffecting the working and return strokes of said, tool, Work feedmechanism controlled by the strokes of said tool, a controller for saidtool actuating means, means connected to said reciprocating .tool forautomatically shifting said controller at the ends of the working andreturn strokes of said tool, and means for preventing the operation ofsaid controller shifting means upon the completion of a predeterminednumber of successive operations of said tool.

11. A machine of the class described comprising a reciprocating spindle,power-actuated feed mechanism for effecting the working strokes of saidspindle, acontroller for initiating the operation of'said feedmechanism, a trip connected to said spindle for operating saidcontroller at the ends of the return strokes of said spindle, a camcontrolling the operation of said trip and actuating means for said camcontrolled by the movement of said spindle.

12. A machine of the class described comprising a reciprocating spindle,feed mechanism for said spindle, controlling means for said feedmechanism, means for actuating said controlling means at the completionof the forward stroke of the spindle to release said spindle, means forreturning said spindle to its initial position, atrip for actuating saidcontrolling means at the comple-' tion of the forward stroke to reengagesaid feeding mechanism, and means for automatically moving said trip outofoperative position at the" completion of a predetermined number ofstrokes of said spindle including a cam actuated by the movement of saidspindle.

l3. Stroke limiting means for drilling machines and the like,comprisingin combination a reciprocating member, actuating meanstherefor including a controlling clutch, a trip device connected to saidmember and adapted, in operative condition, to actuate said clutch, acam for moving said trip device into and out of operative condi tion,and means operative upon the reciprocation of said member for advancingsaid cam. v

14. A stroke limiting device comprising in combination a reciprocatingdrill spindle, power actuated feed mechanism therefor, a clutchcontrolling said feed mechanism, a trip connected to said spindle foractuating said clutch, a cam for throwing said trip into and out ofoperative position and means controlled by the operation of said feedmechanism for positioning said cam.

15. A stroke limiting device for automatic machinery comprising a springpressed trip, a lever co-acting with said trip to move the same intooperative position against the action of said spring, a cam controllingthe movement of said lever, and means for providing an intermittentactuation of said cam.

16. A stroke limiting device for automatic machinery comprising a trip,a lever co-acting with said trip to move the same into operativeposition, a cam controlling the movement of said lever, and means foractuating said cam to provide periodic movement of said trip.

17. A stroke limiting device for automatic machinery comprising a trip,a lever co-acting with said trip to move the same into operativeposition, a cam controlling the movement of said lever, and means forcontrolling said trip independently of said cam.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with areciprocating member, of a stroke limiting device for said membercomprising a trip movable into and out of operative position to controlthe actuation of said member, and a cam controlling said trip andactuated by the movement of said member.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with areciprocating member and actuating means therefor, of a stroke limitingdevice for controlling the actuation of said member comprising a tripcarried by said member and movable into and out of operative relationwith said actuating means, a cam controlling the movement of said trip,and a plunger actuated by the movement of said member to impart to saidcam an intermittent advance.

20. In a machine of the class described,

the cornbinationwith a reciprocating mean.- her, and actuating meanstherefor, of a stroke limiting device for controlling the actuation ofsaid member, coniprisingatrip movable into and out of operative relationwith said actuating meana a cam contjrolling said trip and actuated bythe movement of said member, and means for controlling said tripindependently of said cam; x a

21. In a machine of the class described, the combii'iationwith areciprocating mem ber and actuating means therefor, of a stroke limitingdevice for said member comprising aniip movable into and outof operativerelation with said actuating means, a cam controlling said trip andactuated by the movement of said member, and means for manuallycontrolling the movement of said trip independently of said cam.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with areciprocating member and actuating means therefor, of a stroke limitingdevice for said member comprising a trip carried by said member andmovable into and out of operative relation with said actuating means tocontrol the operation thereof, a lever controlling said trip, and a camcontrolling said lever and actuated by the movement of said member toprovide a periodic operation of said trip.

23. Stroke limiting means for drilling machine comprising incombination, a drill spindle, a supporting sleeve therefor, poweractuated feed mechanism for said sleeve, a controlling clutch for saidfeed mechanism, trips mounted on said sleeve, means controlled therebyfor engaging and disengaging said clutch at the ends of the return andworking strokes respectively of the spindle. and means mounted on saidsleeve and controlled by the movement thereof for automaticallydisabling said clutch engaging trip.

24. In drilling machines, the combination of a work support, a drillspindle, a reciprocating sleeve wherein said drill spindle is mounted,power actuated feed mechanism for said sleeve, a controlling clutch forsaid mechanism, trips on said sleeve for automatically shifting saidclutch at the ends of the working and return strokes of the spindle,means on said sleeve controlled by the movement thereof for disablingone of said trips, and work feed mechanism on said Work supportcontrolled by the reciprocating movements of said sleeve.

25. Stroke limiting means for drilling machines and the like, comprisingin combination a reciprocating member, power actuated feed mechanism foreffecting the Working strokes of said member, means for effecting thereturn strokes thereof, automatically acting trip devices forrespectively engaging and disengaging said feed mechanism to initiateand arrest each working stroke of said member and means controlledby'the successive movements of sald reciproeating member for preventingthe operation of said feed engaging trip device upon the completion of apredetermined number of successive Working strokes.

26. In drilling machine, the combination of a drill spindle, poweractuated feed mechanism for efl'ecting the Working strokes ofsaidspindle, means for effecting the return strokes thereof, tripdevices connected to said spindle for automatically engaging anddisengaging said feed mechanism at the beginning and end of each Workingstroke, a member intermittently advanced by the movements of saidspindle for preventing the operation of said feed engaging trip deviceupon the completion of a predetermined number of successive Workingstrokes, and

Work feed mechanism intermittently controlled by the reciprocatingmovements of said spindle. I

27. Stroke limiting means for drilling machines and the like,-comprisingin combination a reciprocating tool holder, power actuated feedmechanism therefor, automatically acting trip devices for respectivelyengaging and disengaging the feed mechanism at the beginning and end ofeach Working stroke of the tool holder, means for manually shifting saidfeed engaging trip device into and out of operative con dition and meanscontrolled by the successive movements of the tool holder forautomatically shifting the latter trip device into i and out ofoperative condition.

JAMES F. MIRRIELEES.

